Stage 1 - Ride

Find an assessment near you and then contact the Equine Excellence team to book.

Alternatively, you can download our booking form and send your payment via post.

Please ensure your form reaches us more than two weeks prior to the assessment date, so we can process your booking. The assessment will close for bookings two weeks prior to taking place.

We will always do our best to accommodate your preference for an assessment. However, the venue and date are not confirmed until payment is taken and you have received your written confirmation.

Re-sitting your assessment

If you have been unsuccessful on your first assessment, we encourage you to call us to book a re-sit.

Of course, we will also answer any questions you may have and provide you with feedback at this stage. You may have been successful against some, but not all of the assessment criteria, in which case we can just assess you on the sections on which you were not so strong.

• A minimum age of 13 years
• Ride Safe Award is a co-requisite and needs to be completed before this award can be issued
• BHS Gold member– Membership discounts apply for students who are training for or taking BHS qualifications 

You will be assessed on the following learning outcomes:

• Be able to position a horse for mounting
• Be able to mount and dismount from a horse
• Be able to ride horses in walk, trot and canter under supervision

Download the full assessment criteria to review the learning outcomes in more detail.

• 90-minute criteria based assessment

£115 (UK assessments only)

Fees for overseas assessments, (including Republic of Ireland), can be obtained by contacting the BHS Education Team on 02476 840508.

Supporting you at every stage, your Skills Record allows you to record your achievements and progression through your career, with pre-assessment sign off criteria and coach endorsements required for career pathways.

Pre-assessment criteria and coach endorsement for this assessment include:

• Ready for assessment form completed - recommended

The above must be approved by a BHS Accredited Professional Coach or Coaches in a BHS Approved Centre.

All applicants are encouraged to undertake practical training at a BHS Approved Centre or with an Accredited Professional Coach to ensure you are ready for your assessment.

Find your nearest training centre for Stage 1 Ride